President (band)
British metalcore band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
President (stylised in all caps) are an anonymous English metal band formed in 2025,[2] who blend alternative metal with electronica.[3] The band had released no music and were unknown until they were announced to play at that year's Download Festival, sparking speculation to their identity. Their frontman, the eponymous President, is described by Revolver as "silver-haired, wearing an eerie, not-quite-lifelike mask etched with deep wrinkles and radiating wax-figure unease".[4] They released their debut EP, King of Terrors, in 2025. Their debut studio album, Blood of Your Empire, was released on 4 September 2026.[5]
President | |
|---|---|
President performing at the Tons of Rock festival in 2026. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2025–present |
| Label | Atlantic[1] |
| Members |
|
| Website | presidentband |
The band's current lineup consists of The President (vocals), Heist (guitarist), Protest (bassist) and Vice (drummer).[2]
History
Beginnings and initial releases
In an interview with Revolver, it was revealed that the band began as a solo project and later expanded into a full band.[4] Development of the project occurred over several years in complete secrecy until the band was announced as a performer at the 2025 Download Festival in February 2025,[4][6] confusing fans as no details were released as to who the band was and they had released no music.[7] Shortly afterward, the band created an Instagram page and started posting cryptic teasers.[8]
In April 2025, they released a teaser for a new song,[9][10] their debut single "In The Name of the Father", released on 15 May 2025.[11][12][13] The song was named "Tune of the Week" on BBC Radio 1 and they appeared on the cover of an issue of Rock Sound.[14][15] Speculation ran rampant on who the band was, as fans discovered ties to the band with several companies used by another masked band Sleep Token (who were headlining Download Festival that year) and using similar iconography to Crosses.[16][17][8] On May 21, they announced their first headlining show at The Garage in London. The show, which took place on July 30, sold out in less than 48 hours.[18][19] A second single, "Fearless", was released on 5 June 2025.[17][20] The band debuted at Download Festival 2025 in June 2025.[21][22] Their performance was praised by Kerrang! as an "absolute pandemonium from the off," and was favorably received by the crowd.[23] The band was later announced to open for Architects for several dates between December 2025 and January 2026.[24]
King of Terrors (2025)
On 18 July 2025, the band announced their debut EP, King of Terrors, scheduled for release on 26 September, alongside the unveiling of its third single, "Rage".[25] The fourth single, "Destroy Me", followed on 4 September.[26] Shortly after, the band were announced as headliners for TakeDown Festival 2026, which took place at Portsmouth Guildhall on 4 April 2026.[27]
In an interview published on 17 September in Kerrang!, the band confirmed they were working on their debut studio album, which would further expand the narrative and mythology surrounding the President character.[28] Later that month, President were added to several major European festivals for 2026, including Slam Dunk Festival (23–24 May),[29] Nova Rock Festival (12 June),[30] Rock for People (13 June),[31] Tons of Rock (25–28 June),[32] and Copenhell (24–27 June).[33]
The band's rapid rise prompted speculation that President may be an industry plant.[34][35] The frontman dismissed the suggestion as "bewildering", stating that King of Terrors was self-produced, independently released, and promoted through grassroots support from friends and online communities, without involvement from a record label or major industry backing.[35]
The EP was released worldwide on 26 September,[36] accompanied by neon-styled visualizer videos for both "Dionysus" and "Conclave".[37][38] Following the EP's release, President announced a one-off Australian headline show which took place on 12 December, coinciding with their support tour alongside Architects.[39] The band were subsequently confirmed for an appearance at the Greenfield Festival (11–13 June).
On 28 October, President were announced as a supporting act, alongside Beartooth, on Bad Omens's 2026 North American arena tour,[40] which concluded on 27 March 2026 at the Oakland Arena.[41]
In a 24 November interview with Metal Hammer, President's frontman confirmed that the band has been working on their debut full-length album, with four songs already written.[42] He described the record as an evolution of their EP, expanding on its sound while retaining select elements from it.[42]
Signing to Atlantic and Blood of Your Empire (2026–present)
On 11 February 2026, President teased a new single titled "Angel Wings",[43] which was subsequently released on 18 February, alongside the announcement that they had signed with Atlantic Records.[1] Shortly after, on 23 February, the band was confirmed for Louder Than Life 2026, with their performance scheduled for 18 September.[44]
A month after the release of "Angel Wings", the band teased a new single titled "Mercy",[45] which was released on 26 March.[46]
On 30 March, the band announced their first-ever North American headlining tour, which is set to kickoff on 4 September in Nashville, Tennessee and conclude on 14 October in Dallas, Texas, with support from Showing Teeth and Cenobia.[47] Of the 26 dates, 22 sold out within 24 hours of going on general sale.[48]
On 14 May, "Doom Loop" was announced as the next single.[49] "Doom Loop" was released on 21 May, along with an announcement of a full-length studio album, Blood of Your Empire, set for a 4 September release.[5] Shortly after, the band announced a headlining tour of the United Kingdom and Europe, scheduled to begin in Stockholm, Sweden, on 1 November and conclude in London, United Kingdom, on 24 November.[50]
On 23 July, "Dark Heaven" was teased as the next single,[51] and was subsequently released on 30 July.[52]
On 21 August, the band also announced their first Australian headlining tour, scheduled to begin on 19 February 2027 and conclude on 27 February.[53]
Musical style, themes, and imagery
"This is not an anti-religious project, it’s not an anti-government project, it’s not an anti-politics project. It’s about dealing with inner questions."
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The band's music has been described as metalcore,[3][54] with elements of alternative metal,[55] alternative pop, and electronica.[3] VICE described the band's post-metalcore style as "deeply compelling" and praised their songwriting style for being "refreshingly honest."[56]
President's work often explores themes of religion, mortality, and existential fear.[57] Their debut EP, King of Terrors, references the biblical figure associated with death, highlighting mortality as a central motif.[58]
The band's frontman has described the project as rooted in a personal crisis shaped by religion and loss, and has said, "I didn't want it to feel modern, I wanted it to feel like something else. We wanted to add an element of [...] discomfort, kind of in the way The Shining makes you uncomfortable. I wanted it to feel beautiful but unsettling."[4]
While their identities remain concealed, multiple sources have suggested the masked lead vocalist is Charlie Simpson, co-lead vocalist and guitarist for Busted and former frontman for Fightstar.[59][60][61][62] The frontman has stated that their true identity is "not ever going to be acknowledged."[63]
The band incorporates political campaign themes into its public image and press releases. Fans are referred to as "citizens," live performances are presented as "rallies," promotional materials are referred to as "endorsements," music videos as "broadcasts," and fans are encouraged to "join the campaign" to receive updates.[64]
Comparison with Sleep Token
Since President's debut in 2025, critics have frequently compared the band to Sleep Token, citing their shared use of anonymity, masks and a similarly theatrical presentation.[65][66] The comparison has been amplified by the fact that both acts share management under Future History.[67]
The band's frontman has rejected the parallels, describing the Sleep Token comparisons as "fucking lazy" and arguing that the similarities are largely superficial.[68]
Band members
- The President – lead vocals, production[35] (2025–present)
- Heist – guitars (2025–present)
- Protest – bass (2025–present)
- Vice – drums (2025–present)
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Blood of Your Empire |
|
Extended plays
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [69] | ||
| King of Terrors |
|
25 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Sales [70] |
UK Rock [70] |
UK Down. [70] |
UK Indie [70] |
US Hard Rock [71] |
US Main. [72] |
US Rock Air. [73] | |||
| "In the Name of the Father" | 2025 | 52 | 19 | 50 | 41 | 14 | — | — | King of Terrors (EP) |
| "Fearless" | 71 | 37 | 68 | — | 24 | — | — | ||
| "Rage" | 98 | 32 | 93 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Destroy Me" | 95 | 31 | 92 | — | 22 | 17 | 47 | ||
| "Angel Wings" | 2026 | 99 | — | 89 | — | 17 | — | — | Blood of Your Empire |
| "Mercy" | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | ||
| "Doom Loop" | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | ||
| "Dark Heaven" | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||||
Other charted songs
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Hard Rock [74] | |||
| "Dionysus" | 2025 | 24 | Blood of Your Empire |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "In the Name of the Father" | 2025 | Blindeye | King of Terrors (EP) |
| "Fearless" | |||
| "Rage" | |||
| "Destroy Me" | |||
| "Angel Wings" | 2026 | B.K. Barone | Blood of Your Empire |
| "Doom Loop" | Zak Pinchin | ||
| "Dark Heaven" | Unknown |
Awards and nominations
All awards and nominations listed should be in chronological order by the date they were nominated.
| Year | Award | Nominee/work | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nocturnal Awards | "Destroy Me" | Feels Are Reals | Nominated | [75] |
| "In The Name of the Father" | Radio Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
| President | Masked Musician of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Rock Sound Awards | Best New Artist | Won | [76] | ||
| 2026 | Heavy Music Awards | Best Breakthrough Live Artist | Nominated | [77][78] | |
| Best UK Breakthrough Band | Won | ||||
| MoreCore Music Awards | "Doom Loop" | Song of the Year | Pending | [79] |